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[beast786]

ISTANBUL (AP) — The governor of Istanbul has banned gay, lesbian and transgender individuals from holding pride parades at their usual venue, citing security concerns.
It said Friday that marches departing from the Turkish city's iconic Taksim neighborhood would not be allowed "for the safety of our citizens and the participants."
The LGBT community has called for demonstrations on June 19 and June 26, bookending pride week.
Turkish Islamist and ultra-nationalist groups have threatened counterdemonstrations to stop the parade from taking place.
Istanbul pride week organizers issued a statement with a #LoveWillWin hashtag in Turkish rejecting security concerns as a reason to ban the parades.
It said "the governorship prefers to limit people's rights and freedoms instead of taking measures to deal with the threats."
"It is crucial for us to be visible and at the center of our cities at least for one day of the year," the statement added.
Istanbul's pride parade has been celebrated every year since 2003 with participants converging in Taksim. Last year, the march was banned and police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.
The governor's office said it had suggested alternative venues for the celebration this year, but didn't specify which ones.
The parade organizers haven't said yet if they are willing to move the event to another location.
Istanbul has witnessed a series of deadly bombings in the past year including two suicide attacks targeting tourists. One of them hit the same crowded thoroughfare of Istiklal Avenue where the pride parade is usually held.
Western diplomatic missions in Turkey have been warning their citizens to avoid large gatherings for months.
The U.S. consulate in Istanbul this week unfurled the rainbow flag in celebration of gay pride, but also to honor the victims of the bloody rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando that left 49 people dead.
The massacre coincided with events celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month in the United States.
Turkey's pride parade organizers said they wanted to gather "after the tragedy in Orlando, to show once again we are united, strong and organized."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/turkey-bans-gay-pride-parade-istanbul-citing-security-133840027.html

 

[Xe4]

This is not the way to go about it, security fears or no. Add security, or reschedule it but don't fold to terrorists whims.

Also, this feels like a way for the Turkish govt. To ban it without getting their hands dirty, looking at their actions of last year.

 

[SomedayTheFire]

"security fears"

 

[The Lamp]

This is not the way to go about it, security fears or no. Add security, or reschedule it but don't fold to terrorists whims.

Also, this feels like a way for the Turkish govt. To ban it without getting their hands dirty, looking at their actions of last year.

Do they have the resources to fully protect this event?Istanbul had tragic bombings last year and this event is quite risky. I was honestly worried for the people who would participate in this. I'm not saying banning the event is the best option but I also would be very concerned if the festival continued without proper security resources.

 

[Rektash]

Security fears? More like insecurity fears.

 

[trembli0s]

The only reason the fears are well founded is because that fuck stick Erdogan encourages this type of ultranationalist/Islamist behavior

 

[18-Volt]

This is not just it. My friends tell me same Radical Islamist organization (Alperen) warned restaurants and people who don't fast "to behave". Some open restaurants are said to have received death threat letters.

Alperen is one of the scariest hate groups in Turkey. They kill, they torture anyone who isn't with them. I remember once they tried to staple hijab cover to heads of passerby women in Konya. The infamous Zirve massacre was also done by those guys.They were an underground group during the 90s and 80s but thanks to idiot Erdogan allowed them to surface.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Turkish Gaffers; What we're seeing in the media now. Is this a fair interpretation of the state of Turkey? It seems that the country is on fire. Or is this old hat? I feel like that 5 years ago everyone talked about how Turkey was a role model for all middle eastern civilizations and they would pave the way for others to insert themself into the Western Establishment. The inner circle of first world nations.


What the hell is happening? A lot of the news we get from Turkey are very one-sided and compounded without the larger context. It feels like there is more to the story of Turkeys political climate than Ergodan being a douche. Such a large country to be completely engulfed and represented by such a man. I feel terrible for the Turks. What a draw, to get a leader like that.

 

[beast786]

This is not just it. My friends tell me same Radical Islamist organization (Alperen) warned restaurants and people who don't fast "to behave". Some open restaurants are said to have received death threat letters.

Alperen is one of the scariest hate groups in Turkey. They kill, they torture anyone who isn't with them. I remember once they tried to staple hijab cover to heads of passerby women in Konya. The infamous Zirve massacre was also done by those guys.They were an underground group during the 90s and 80s but thanks to idiot Erdogan allowed them to surface.

Wow, what is the general population sense about this shift? And what has the government done to protect its citizens ?

 

[IrishNinja]

This is not just it. My friends tell me same Radical Islamist organization (Alperen) warned restaurants and people who don't fast "to behave". Some open restaurants are said to have received death threat letters.

Alperen is one of the scariest hate groups in Turkey. They kill, they torture anyone who isn't with them. I remember once they tried to staple hijab cover to heads of passerby women in Konya. The infamous Zirve massacre was also done by those guys.They were an underground group during the 90s and 80s but thanks to idiot Erdogan allowed them to surface.

goddamn, that does sound terrifying...and ive yet to hear a positive thing about Erdogan, how exactly did he come into power?

 

[Diancecht]

Turkish Gaffers; What we're seeing in the media now. Is this a fair interpretation of the state of Turkey? It seems that the country is on fire. Or is this old hat? I feel like that 5 years ago everyone talked about how Turkey was a role model for all middle eastern civilizations and they would pave the way for others to insert themself into the Western Establishment. The inner circle of first world nations.


What the hell is happening? A lot of the news we get from Turkey are very one-sided and compounded without the larger context. It feels like there is more to the story of Turkeys political climate than Ergodan being a douche. Such a large country to be completely engulfed and represented by such a man. I feel terrible for the Turks. What a draw, to get a leader like that.

Been living in the UK for a year so, I am not %100 percent in synch with the country but here it goes:

The representation of Turkey in foreign media is accurate. Erdogan and his lackeys are trying to turn the country in a islamic state. Everyday comments from the members of the ruling party, Erdogan or the PM are so fucking ridiculous, if this was an another country, they would have to resign immediately.

But the one thing that the foreign media doesn't cover is that we are still a democratic country. It's not like the %80 percent of the country is filled with fucking maniacs. The ruling party, AKP has between 45-50 percent of the vote. And only the 20-25 percent of that is heavy right wing, uneducated bigots. The rest are businessmen, traditionalists and people that would gain money from AKP's rule.

Then you have the CHP, the main opposition party. Secular, left wing and the founding party of Turkey. They have between 25 and 30 percent of the vote.

MHP, is the right wing, nationalistic party but also secular with a base voters of 13-18 percent. For the past 5 to 7 years, for numerous reasons they have acted like a lackey of Erdogan but there will be a change in the head of the party and they will come back to their roots of being a wise right wing.

And of course the kurds and their left wing and secular party HDP. They have between 9 and 13 percent of the votes.

We had an election last year and the AKP lost the majority and wasn't able to form a government. CHP, MHP and HDP had a chance to form a coalition and CHP and HPD was ready for it but MHP, being the bigots that they were in the last 5 years, refuse to form a coalition with the Kurds. Then AKP got the majority in the early elections.

Long story short, yes we are being ruled by an idiot that his only wish is to be the ruler of the world and get rich as fuck but that doesn't mean that we are a middle east country. Our heritage and ties are so strong, they would need six Erdogan's to destroy our republic and form a fucking islamic state.

 

[Jezbollah]

And they wonder why tourism is so bad.

 

[18-Volt]

Wow, what is the general population sense about this shift? And what has the government done to protect its citizens ?

Secular side is furious but their hands are tied. Erdogan is too powerful. Millions of uneducated, lower class, conservative people back him. Alperen has always been an illegal hate group but thanks to Erdogan's efforts to radicalize the nation, his backers has grown supportive of those organizations.

goddamn, that does sound terrifying...and ive yet to hear a positive thing about Erdogan, how exactly did he come into power?

Good question. When he was elected in 2002 he was extremely pro-west and pro-European. He even gave up on his religious duties to prove his was so. But then in the midway, he changed. He declared war on people in his own party, secular people, Kurdish people, liberals etc. Expelled many of them. He arrested army officials charged with forming an organization to . Nobody is still yet to understand this sudden change of wind but to a coincidence, Arab spring has happened roughly same time. He started to support islamic oppositions in many countries, insulted and threatened leaders once he called "brothers" (Assad and Ben Ali). And now he's exact opposite of person he was once.

 

[Walshicus]

It's sad to see Turkey regress so far so rapidly.

 

[azyless]

Ugh, terrible. I feel for turkish LGBT people. Pride is my favorite event of the year :/

 

[Kinyou]

Considering the recent bombings this might not even be complete bullshit. Though would have to know if all other similar events are also cancelled or if it "happens" to only affect the gay pride parade

 

[18-Volt]

Ugh, terrible. I feel for turkish LGBT people. Pride is my favorite event of the year :/

Don't worry, they might be denied to have a pride in Taksim but there are districts in Istanbul with secular mayors. Pride will happen no matter what, no one can stop that.

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

I'm surprised they permitted it to begin with

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Been living in the UK for a year so, I am not %100 percent in synch with the country but here it goes:

The representation of Turkey in foreign media is accurate. Erdogan and his lackeys are trying to turn the country in a islamic state. Everyday comments from the members of the ruling party, Erdogan or the PM are so fucking ridiculous, if this was an another country, they would have to resign immediately.

But the one thing that the foreign media doesn't cover is that we are still a democratic country. It's not like the %80 percent of the country is filled with fucking maniacs. The ruling party, AKP has between 45-50 percent of the vote. And only the 20-25 percent of that is heavy right wing, uneducated bigots. The rest are businessmen, traditionalists and people that would gain money from AKP's rule.

Then you have the CHP, the main opposition party. Secular, left wing and the founding party of Turkey. They have between 25 and 30 percent of the vote.

MHP, is the right wing, nationalistic party but also secular with a base voters of 13-18 percent. For the past 5 to 7 years, for numerous reasons they have acted like a lackey of Erdogan but there will be a change in the head of the party and they will come back to their roots of being a wise right wing.

And of course the kurds and their left wing and secular party HDP. They have between 9 and 13 percent of the votes.

We had an election last year and the AKP lost the majority and wasn't able to form a government. CHP, MHP and HDP had a chance to form a coalition and CHP and HPD was ready for it but MHP, being the bigots that they were in the last 5 years, refuse to form a coalition with the Kurds. Then AKP got the majority in the early elections.

Long story short, yes we are being ruled by an idiot that his only wish is to be the ruler of the world and get rich as fuck but that doesn't mean that we are a middle east country. Our heritage and ties are so strong, they would need six Erdogan's to destroy our republic and form a fucking islamic state.

Thanks for the explanation

 

[beast786]

Don't worry, they might be denied to have a pride in Taksim but there are districts in Istanbul with secular mayors. Pride will happen no matter what, no one can stop that.

Awesome to hear that

 

[azyless]

Looks like some people did go in the end, and got a nice welcome of tear gas and rubber bullets :
Istanbul riot police break up LGBT rally

Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish riot police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up a gathering of about 50 members of the LGBT community in Istanbul on Sunday, an AFP correspondent said.

Several hundred police surrounded the city's main Taksim Square to prevent the "Trans Pride" rally taking place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.